Marine propeller



Oct. 13, 1942. B, A, Q SWEL "2,298,869

MARINE PROPELLER Filed Nov. 12, 1940 lgmlA- zgul of the usual gears anddrive shaft.

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates generally to a marine propeller, and has as itsprincipal object the provision of a novel marine propeller structurewhich may be fluid operated thereby increasing the available spacewithin the vessel to which it is attached by eliminating the usual gearbox and drive shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel marine propellerwhich will produce a more eflicient type of propulsion for marinevessels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a propeller having suchconstruction that, when it is located properly at the bottom ofthevessel, the discharge from the propeller will be at the stern of thevessel thereby reducing the flow of water'along the bottom thereofresulting in decreased resistance due to skin friction.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will appear more fully asthe description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and following description set forth in detailcertain means for carrying out my invention, said means constituting,however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the inventionmay be employed.

In said annexed drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to likeparts throughout the various views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a vessel showing one of my improvedmarine propellers attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the propellerstructure itself and its associated mechanism.

Broadly speaking, my invention consists primarily in the provision of anelongated tube within which is located and secured thereto a screw typeor turbine type propeller so that the propeller and the tube are rotatedtogether. Unlike prior constructions of this nature, I provide fluidoperated means to rotate the propeller instead While throughout thisdescription I shall refer to steam as the specific fluid which I preferto use, it is to be understood that any other suitable fluid may be usedwithout departing in any way from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the vessel itself isindicated by th numeral l and at the under side thereof adjacent thestern and preferably located one at each side of the ship I provide mynovel propeller which is generally indicated by the numeral 2.

Referring now specifically to Fig. 3, the propeller mechanism consistsof an outer housing 3 which is preferably formed in two parts for easein assembling. Within the housing and at each end thereof I providebearing members 4 within which the elongated tube 5 is located and isrotatable with respect thereto. At the forward end of the tube 5 Iprefer to flare it outwardly as at 6 so that at its forward end it has alarger radius than'throughout the length thereof. The screw orturbinetype propeller I is located in this enlarged portion 6 and the bladesthereof are secured to the inner surface of the tube at its forward end.The specific manner in which the propeller 1 is secured to the tube isimmaterial so long as it is attached securely thereto so that it isrotatable therewith.

Within the housing 3 at substantially midway between its ends there isprovided an inwardly extending annular flange 8 which has an annularopening or passageway 9 therein. At the bottom of the housing the twopassages I0 lead outwardly from the passage 9, one to the forwardchamber in the housing and the other to the rear chamber, the forwardand rear chambers being separated by means of the flange 8.

Centrally located on the inner edge of the flange 8 is an annular grooveI I, and an annular ring l2 surrounds the tube 5, is secured thereto andis adapted to be received within the annular groove H, therebypreventing any longitudinal movement of the tube but permitting arotative movement thereof.

In the forward chamber it of the housing there is provided the usualsteam turbine construction which consists of a plurality of spaced apartrings l4 secured to the inner surface of the housing 3 and between whichare located the other rings which have the inner portions I5 surroundingand secured to the tube and the outer portions I6 located between therings l4 and rotatable with respect thereto. In the space between theinner and outer portions I5 and l 6 of. the turbine rings are located aplurality of spaced apart fins, and the rings M are each provided with aplurality of spaced apart openings I! so that as steam, or any otherfluid, under pressure, passes through the openings II, the force istransmitted to the fins causing a rotation of the rings to which theyare secured and the tube 5 together with the propeller 1 securedtherein,

As many of these rings may be used as is deemed desirable, and for thepurposes of illustration I have preferred to show four such ringsseparated by four of the rings 14 so that a greater amount of power maybe had for a given amount of steam passing therethrough.

The rear chamber [3 is also provided with a similar turbine arrangementand is only used when it is desired to reverse the rotation of thepropeller.

At the upper side and adjacent the forward end of the housing 3 there isprovided an opening H! which leads upwardly to a tubular passageway 20which in turn is connected to a steam or fluid inlet. Rearwardly of thestem conduit 29 is another and slightly larger conduit 2| which is inalinement with an exhaust passage 22 communicating with the annularpassageway 9. As the steam enters the conduit 20 and the opening l9 andis received in the forward chamber I3, it passes rearwardly through theturbine thereby imparting a swift rotative movement to the propeller andtube 5. After such steam has passed through the turbine it then movesdownwardly through the passageway l into the annular passage 9 andoutwardly through the ex haust passages 22 and 2|.

Adjacent the rear of the housing is another steam inlet 23 whichcommunicates with the passage 26 thereby admitting steam into the rearchamber i8. This steam then passes through the turbine located in therear chamber the fins of which are so located as to rotate the propellerin the opposite direction thereby reversing and moving the vesselrearwardly. The steam thus passing through the rear turbine then passesoutwardly through the exhaust passageway 2| as has been explained withrespect to the steam in the forward chamber. Of course, only one of thesteam turbines is operated at a time.

By this construction none of the usual gear boxes, drive shafts, etc.are necessary, the entire rotating means being actuated by a fluid underpressure. I prefer to mount one of these devices at each side of thevessel with the rear of the tube near or at the rear end thereof withthe propeller end of the tube forward so that water is drawn into thetube amidship of the vessel and discharged with an increased velocity atthe rear. There are several advantages in this type of mechanism whenmounted in this manner. In the first place, this arrangement increasesthe overall slip of the propeller by increasing the pitch of the bladespast that which is practical with an open propeller; the arrangementalso draws water into the propeller at a point somewhat forward of therear of the vessel to reduce the flow of water along the bottom thereofthus reducing skin friction and preventing the rear end of the boat fromdipping down into the water and raising its forward end upwardly.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be usedinstead of the one here described, change being made as regards thestructure herein disclosed provided, however, that the means stated byany of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means beemployed.

1, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. A marine propeller comprising, a housing, an elongated tube rotatablymounted within said housing and extending beyond one end thereof, apropeller mounted within said tube, secured thereto and rotatabletherewith, and means within said housing to rotate said tube andpropeller.

2. A marine propeller comprising, a housing, an annular groove withinsaid housing, an elongated tube rotatably mounted within said housingand extending beyond each end thereof, an annular ring secured to saidtube and located within said groove to prevent longitudinal movement ofsaid tube, a screw propeller mounted within and secured to said tube atone end thereof, and means within said housing to rotate said tube andpropeller.

3. The combination of elements defined in claim 2, wherein said means isfluid operated.

4. A marine propeller comprising, a housing, an annular groove withinsaid housing, an elongated tube rotatably mounted within said housingand extending beyond each end thereof, an annular ring secured to saidtube and located within said groove to prevent longitudinal movement ofsaid tube, a screw propeller mounted within and secured to said tube atone end thereof, means at one side of said ring within said housing torotate said tube and propeller in one direction, and means at the otherside of said ring to rotate said tube and propeller in the oppositedirection.

5. The combination of elements defined in claim 4, wherein at least oneof said means is fluid operated.

BYRON A. COGSWELL.

